Food, recipes, ideas of what to cook, what to eat, etc etc takes up a large majority of my brain space…possibly too much! Thankfully, my husband and family love food as well, and trying new places to eat is something we all enjoy. Todd and I try to go on date nights once a month, and we like to branch out and visit new-to-us restaurants.
I tend to post sporadically on here or on instagram if we try a different restaurant in Charlotte. But I wanted to put together a more cohesive post…that will hopefully turn into a type of series. Here are some of the restaurants we have enjoyed in the last 6 or so months. This post is more focused on the nicer restaurants. These spots are perfect for date nights, foodies, and those looking for a focus on atmosphere. In the future I will write about more casual places, great lunch spots, juice bars, caterers, etc! I have drafts planned for the next couple of weeks. I wanted to break it up because this post is already too long.
This is not sponsored! These are my personal and honest opinions. And please excuse some of the poor picture quality. Most of these photos were taken in dark lighting.
If you’re visiting our city, or you live here and are looking for some restaurant recommendations, check out this list! I hope this is helpful!
Rooster’s. We ate here for the first time with my cousin and her husband for her 30th. The food is elevated comfort food, and we really enjoyed it! It is heavier than the food I typically eat, but we still had a great time and loved the flavors. It’s a great location uptown as well.
Fahrenheit. Todd took me to dinner here for our 9th anniversary. The food was delicious, and the views are fantastic! We went back for drinks before eating at Rooster’s for Sarah‘s birthday. It is a perfect spot to just have a drink as well. If you haven’t been, you absolutely should.
CO. We tried this recently for a last-minute date night. We love Asian food, but I was craving something other than sushi. This hit the spot and I’m dying to go back! CO is not really fancy, but I included it in this list, because of the atmosphere, and the food is a little more adventurous. Bonus – they have an entirely separate gluten free menu! That is difficult to find, especially in Asian restaurants. The food is Vietnamese, it is fresh, and the atmosphere and decor are excellent. I had the Shrimp Spring Rolls and Beef Pho. Todd had Pork Belly Steamed Buns and a Ramen Bowl.
OGGI. My family went here for Mother’s Day lunch. It was mine and Todd’s first time, but we had a wonderful experience. The service was the best we’ve had in a restaurant in a while. I basically never eat pasta (gluten free), but I ordered one of their specials of the day. It was pasta with a red fra diavolo clam sauce, calamari, shrimp, mussels, and clams. I enjoyed it! The rest of the pasta is homemade, and everyone at the table seemed to enjoy each dish! Todd had the lasagna, which is their second best seller. My brother had crab ravioli, which is their top seller.
Kid Cashew. This place isn’t fancy, but it is foodie friendly. My mom and I ate here for lunch recently, and we had a great experience! It is located right in Dilworth, and has a really cool look. If it had been a little warmer, we would have eaten outside on the patio. The food is elevated, but homey and Southern, and delicious. We shared the pork shoulder with a cilantro yogurt dipping sauce; their white beans braised with grape tomatoes; their beet salad; and their roasted brussels sprouts. We did not order drinks, but we’ll have to go back after October, because I have heard great things about their fresh cocktails.
Kindred. This place has become so famous, and I believe it deserves the fame. Todd and I ate here on a date night in February, and we had a wonderful time. The interior of the restaurant is beautiful and the look of the bar is so cool (I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of pictures on instagram!). The vibe is not stuffy or snooty at all, even though the food and flavors are incredibly well thought-out. Our servers were very kind, and they happily worked with my gluten intolerance. We ate every crumb on our plates, and I would love to go back there soon! Worth the drive to Davidson for sure.
Heirloom. This is another restaurant that is a bit of a drive. But worth it! We experienced impeccable service and delicious food! We ate here (unknowingly) during Restaurant Week, so we ate off the the prix fixe menu. But they also sent out an additional course of charcuterie that was fantastic! Everything – at least 95% – of the restaurant, not just the food, is sourced locally. Salt from the Outer Banks, etc. The passion for local ingredients is admirable and easily noticed when dining at Heirloom.
…And now I’m starving. 
Some others we’ve tried and enjoyed: 5 Church, The Summit Room, Good Food on Montford…We haven’t been to those places in the last 6 months, so I didn’t include them. But if we go again, I will try to take pictures and write a mini review!
Charlotte offers a plethora of culinary adventures! I love living in a city with such a variety of restaurants, and I am excited to try some others soon!
[…] If you missed it earlier this week, I posted a Charlotte Restaurant Review. The list includes some awesome restaurants in and around our city that are perfect for date […]